Jul 13, 2022, 8:15 am
Last edit by: moondog
The "FT People on WeChat" group
Our group chat is comprised of FT members and friends of FT members. We talk about pretty much anything except for politics (because Papa Bear has the ability to watch over us). The group has its own QR code, but it has a short shelf life (e.g. about 5 days), so I'm not including it here. The easiest way to join is to add me as a contact (moondogsh) and let me put you in the group.
Contacting Tencent Customer Support
If you want to get in touch with Tencent customer service (e.g. to update your passport number or change your name format so it aligns with your bank accounts), most web resources will advise you to simply message the "WeChat Team" contact. It is extremely difficult to get a human response when using this approach. Calling them also results in a bot experience.
However, the following drill works as of July 2022 (specific menu options can always change, of course; the key is getting yourself to step 5 below):
1. Dial 95716 (or +86 4009100100 from outside of China)
2. Select option 1 for personal accounts
3. Enter your connected phone number followed by #
3. Select option 2 for other questions
4. The bot will ask you to describe your issue using voice; just speak to it in English; it won't understand and will ask you to repeat 3-5 times before giving up
5. Now, the bot will give you ~8 menu options; through trial and error, I can state that option 7 is good for immediate transfer to a human (some of the others might work as well)
6. When the representative picks up, you definitely need to speak Chinese, but your request is presumably fairly easy to convey, and their responses are also pretty simple
7. They might want to move the conversation over to WeChat; this is okay because they will send you an invite to a special customer service queue, which is only ~60% automated
Our group chat is comprised of FT members and friends of FT members. We talk about pretty much anything except for politics (because Papa Bear has the ability to watch over us). The group has its own QR code, but it has a short shelf life (e.g. about 5 days), so I'm not including it here. The easiest way to join is to add me as a contact (moondogsh) and let me put you in the group.
Contacting Tencent Customer Support
If you want to get in touch with Tencent customer service (e.g. to update your passport number or change your name format so it aligns with your bank accounts), most web resources will advise you to simply message the "WeChat Team" contact. It is extremely difficult to get a human response when using this approach. Calling them also results in a bot experience.
However, the following drill works as of July 2022 (specific menu options can always change, of course; the key is getting yourself to step 5 below):
1. Dial 95716 (or +86 4009100100 from outside of China)
2. Select option 1 for personal accounts
3. Enter your connected phone number followed by #
3. Select option 2 for other questions
4. The bot will ask you to describe your issue using voice; just speak to it in English; it won't understand and will ask you to repeat 3-5 times before giving up
5. Now, the bot will give you ~8 menu options; through trial and error, I can state that option 7 is good for immediate transfer to a human (some of the others might work as well)
6. When the representative picks up, you definitely need to speak Chinese, but your request is presumably fairly easy to convey, and their responses are also pretty simple
7. They might want to move the conversation over to WeChat; this is okay because they will send you an invite to a special customer service queue, which is only ~60% automated
wechat（微信）
Jan 23, 2018 | 5:56 pm
#226
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,285
But like Alipay do they suddenly block your non-Mainland card for "security reasons" until you provide copies of the card, your passport, and a recent card statement?
And something else I've learned with Alipay. If you can't link your Mainland bank card for any of a number of reasons, you can still pay for things with your Mainland bank card through online banking, if you have a PC handy with IE installed. Saves the Alipay 3 percent credit card fee, plus your bank's foreign-use credit card fee.
(I see I can now bring up a QR payment code on the Alipay app with just a non-Mainland credit card linked, but don't know whether it works for payment.)
.
And something else I've learned with Alipay. If you can't link your Mainland bank card for any of a number of reasons, you can still pay for things with your Mainland bank card through online banking, if you have a PC handy with IE installed. Saves the Alipay 3 percent credit card fee, plus your bank's foreign-use credit card fee.
(I see I can now bring up a QR payment code on the Alipay app with just a non-Mainland credit card linked, but don't know whether it works for payment.)
.
Last edited by 889; Jan 23, 2018 at 6:08 pm
Jan 23, 2018 | 6:00 pm
#227
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: SPG Gold, IHG Plat, Marriott Silver, Hyatt Plat, *A Gold, AA Plat
Posts: 32
No they dont seem to have done that. I had a card attached for awhile to WeChat as I used it years ago to validate my account. But it has since expired. I havent been able to use that. The card I added yesterday when I noticed JD allows foreign CC to pay went through no problem and I used it today a few times no problem. Then today I added another visa after I had reached a daily transaction limit. I charged four or five times within 30 minutes and assumed it could be a flag as too many charges in a short time.
Jan 23, 2018 | 6:33 pm
#229
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: SPG Gold, IHG Plat, Marriott Silver, Hyatt Plat, *A Gold, AA Plat
Posts: 32
I dont remeber issues with Alipay as Ive had that going since 2007 and Add cards all the time. I use the Wai Mai (food delivery) feature a lot so I can pay for dinners with my credit cards.
Jan 23, 2018 | 7:05 pm
#230
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,285
As we're on the topic, I'll mention another recent development.
If you can't use Alipay or Wechat for swipe payments because of problems linking your Mainland bank card, there's a new alternative: UnionPay's QuickPass. The procedure may vary depending on your bank, but I activated QuickPass very quickly on my bank's mobile app; no need to download the UnionPay app. To pay, open the bank app, click on the QuickPass logo, and enter your bank PIN. A QR code will appear, which the cashier scans, and you confirm payment with your PIN again.
This is new and not too widely used at the moment: mostly supermarkets and larger stores and restaurants, the sort of places that accept bank cards. Maybe over time it'll extend to taxis and fruit vendors.
If you can't use Alipay or Wechat for swipe payments because of problems linking your Mainland bank card, there's a new alternative: UnionPay's QuickPass. The procedure may vary depending on your bank, but I activated QuickPass very quickly on my bank's mobile app; no need to download the UnionPay app. To pay, open the bank app, click on the QuickPass logo, and enter your bank PIN. A QR code will appear, which the cashier scans, and you confirm payment with your PIN again.
This is new and not too widely used at the moment: mostly supermarkets and larger stores and restaurants, the sort of places that accept bank cards. Maybe over time it'll extend to taxis and fruit vendors.
Jan 23, 2018 | 9:21 pm
#231
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 22,108
From today's Hong Kong Standard:
"Also yesterday, Tencent said foreigners living in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan can now connect to Weixin Pay through any international credit cards. This is the first time that people will not need to have a Chinese bank account or credit card to take advantage of the country's fast-growing cashless payment system that makes it easier to shop and pay for daily needs online."
Tencent shops for Carrefour deal - The Standard
Anyone tried this?
"Also yesterday, Tencent said foreigners living in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan can now connect to Weixin Pay through any international credit cards. This is the first time that people will not need to have a Chinese bank account or credit card to take advantage of the country's fast-growing cashless payment system that makes it easier to shop and pay for daily needs online."
Tencent shops for Carrefour deal - The Standard
Anyone tried this?
It's useless in the Mainland.
Jan 23, 2018 | 9:51 pm
#232
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,285
Well, who knows. One of the things that makes these payment wallets confusing is that they have different wallets for different regions, but they all go by the same name.
The story's worded to suggest that you'll be able to swipe in the Mainland even without a Mainland bank card, but until someone tries it out we can only guess.
The story's worded to suggest that you'll be able to swipe in the Mainland even without a Mainland bank card, but until someone tries it out we can only guess.
Jan 23, 2018 | 10:00 pm
#234
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,285
Here's another story today that gives more details from the Tencent press release. "Tencent yesterday said it has expanded its user base to Hong Kong residents, who now will not need to have a Chinese bank account or credit card to take advantage of the Mainland’s popular cashless payment system. . . . Besides Hong Kong residents, Tencent opens WeChat to expatriates living in China as well as to Macau and Taiwan residents."
https://www.enterpriseinnovation.net...ount-574816538
https://www.enterpriseinnovation.net...ount-574816538
Jan 23, 2018 | 11:07 pm
#235
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: CX MPC DM
Posts: 416
I'm a foreigner who spends a lot of time on the Mainland. When I first established my wechat a few years back there was the option to add a VISA/MC card but after adding the card it always said not supported and I deleted the card. I've had a Chinese bank account for a while that's linked up. However in December, I noticed the wallet had changed a bit since last time I checked. The card entry looked a little different and I was able to add a US Visa card. I checked my card account and a small credit $0.05 from WeChat was there.
Since then, I've been able to choose that card as a payment option in limited scenarios. I can't select the VISA when using the pay app (i.e. QR code) or transfer but buying things with JD or Meituan when they bring up the payment selection on WeChat allow me to choose the VISA card for payment. I am guessing it is vendor specific but all the charges are applied to the card as WeChat and not the vendor.
Since then, I've been able to choose that card as a payment option in limited scenarios. I can't select the VISA when using the pay app (i.e. QR code) or transfer but buying things with JD or Meituan when they bring up the payment selection on WeChat allow me to choose the VISA card for payment. I am guessing it is vendor specific but all the charges are applied to the card as WeChat and not the vendor.
Jan 23, 2018 | 11:10 pm
#236
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: SPG Gold, IHG Plat, Marriott Silver, Hyatt Plat, *A Gold, AA Plat
Posts: 32
This is all in mainland. Im in chengdu and use it all here.
I did try try and get my wifes WeChat connected with a visa credit card and had an issue. So I am in process of verifying. When gave me an error I sumbitted my passport and visa page and then credit card and local phone number. It didnt ask for all that as it asked me for chinese ID so we will see what else for her needs to be done.
I did try try and get my wifes WeChat connected with a visa credit card and had an issue. So I am in process of verifying. When gave me an error I sumbitted my passport and visa page and then credit card and local phone number. It didnt ask for all that as it asked me for chinese ID so we will see what else for her needs to be done.
Jan 31, 2018 | 1:17 pm
#237
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 22
I have wechat with a chinese debit card linked. I'm not living in china, and just added my american visa credit card in wechat wallet successfully. I'm not sure if any payment will go through my credit card when i try to pay in china. I will have to try in couple weeks when i go to china again, will report back.
Feb 1, 2018 | 10:13 pm
#238
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,239
I wish they'd let me use the WeChat pay function outside of Mainland China. They seem to take this or Alipay everywhere in Asia now but for some reason foreigners aren't allowed to use it outside of Mainland China.
Feb 2, 2018 | 12:58 am
#239
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 22,108
Alipay HK doesn't work in Singapore taxis or Charles & Keith either.
Feb 2, 2018 | 2:59 am
#240
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 11,078
Chinese WeChat accounts will take foreign issued cards, and I use that while I am in China. Works in HK as well.
My HK WeChat account is linked to my HK bank cards, doesn't work in China. I use this account for communications mostly.
My HK WeChat account is linked to my HK bank cards, doesn't work in China. I use this account for communications mostly.